Anchor and anchoring system

ABSTRACT

A sleeve and a concentric shaft having head at one end with a rectangular plate through with the shaft interposed between the head and the adjacent end of the sleeve. The plate initially is substantially V-shape and has the apex substantially parallel to a minor axis of the plate so that movement of the sleeve along said shaft towards the head deforms the plate from the V-shape into a substantially plainer configuration with the ends of said plate on a major axis of the plate extending laterally beyond the head. The present invention also embraces a method of fixing the anchor in a bore hole with the ends of the plate in an undercut in the bore hole and filling the bore hole with resin while venting air via a passage extending from adjacent to a closed end of the bore hole through a suitable cover.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to an anchor particularly suited as an anchor for concrete and to an anchoring system for fixing the anchor in place.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Many different anchors and anchoring systems have been proposed some of which are particularly suited to providing an anchor that may be embedded in concrete and to which other structure(s) may be attached. See for example EPC application published as no 0029354 on May 27, 1981: Canadian patent application no 2,703,627 published May 14, 2009 U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,771,746; 4,339,217; 4,393,638; 4,770,580; 4,789,284; 4,968,200; 5,531,535; 5,352,077; 5,921,733; and 6,851,492; and US Patent Applications 2008/0310930; 2011/0062617; and 2012/0192404. The common theme in these inventions is to provide some form of undercut in the bore hole in which the anchor is to be secured and expand a part of the anchor to substantially fill the undercut area. In some most of these patents the anchor itself is provided with some form of cutter that forms the undercut or in some cases expanding part of the anchor is simply forced into the surrounding medium, so the anchor itself forms the and to substantially fill and/or block off entrance to the undercut area so as to stop flow of material past the expanded portion.

US patent application 2011/0062617 is different in that it teaches applying vibrations to a fluid to define pores in the material to which the anchor is being embedded

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an anchoring system that is particularly suited to providing an anchor suited for use in concrete and the like and which permits the effective use of a resin such as epoxy resin to more securely hold the anchor in position whether in an upright or inverted position.

Broadly the present invention relates to an anchor system comprising an anchor having a shaft, a head adjacent to one end of said shaft and extending laterally of said shaft, a sleeve surrounding said shaft and extending axially thereof, a rectangular plate having a major and a minor axis, said plate having a substantially V-shape the apex of which is substantially parallel to said minor axis, said plate having a central hole through which said shaft passes and being positioned on said shaft between said head and said sleeve so that movement of said sleeve along said shaft towards said head deforms said V-shape into a substantially plainer configuration with the ends of said plate on said major axis extending laterally beyond said head and means for a moving said sleeve axially of said shaft.

Preferably, the apex is adjacent to said sleeve.

Preferably the system further comprises a bore hole having an open end and a closed end remote from the open end, an undercut section formed in said bore hole spaced from said open end, said anchor being positioned within said bore hole and said ends of said plate with said plate deformed into said substantially plainer configuration being received in said undercut section.

Preferably the system further comprises a cover closing said open end, said cover including an inlet for passage of a resin into said bore hole and an outlet for venting gases from said bore hole.

Preferably an venting tube extends from adjacent said closed end to said outlet for venting gases.

Preferably the system further comprises further comprising a resin substantially filling said bore hole around said anchor and including said undercut section.

The present invention also relates to a method of installing and anchor using a resin to improve the connection of the anchor to the substrate in which it is mounted comprising cutting an undercut in a bore hole between an open end and a closed end of said bore hole, mounting an anchor in the bore hole by deforming a plate into the undercut, said plate occupying a minor amount of space in said undercut and being smaller than said bore hole to permit access for resin injected from said open end to pass said plate and enter into said undercut from the side of said plate adjacent to said open end and fill said undercut and thereby surround said anchor with said resin.

Preferably said bore hole is inverted so that said closed end of said bore hole is at an elevation higher than the elevation of said open end and said open end is closed by a cap and resin is injected through said cap and a passage is provided from said cap to said closed end, said passage venting of air from said bore hole as said resin is injected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features, objects and advantages will be evident from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an anchor incorporating the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the anchor plate for holding the anchor in position in a bore hole with the plate expanded shown by dash lines.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a preferred form of cutter used to cut the undercut in the bore hole in which the anchor is to be mounted.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a cross section of a bore hole and an anchor of the present invention being inserted.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but with the anchor in position with the plate expanded into the undercut.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but with the bore hole filled with resin and showing the vent pipe in position to permit air to be driven from the bore hole as it is being filled with resin when the bore hole is in an inverted position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1 the anchor 10 of the present invention is composed of 3 main parts namely the main shaft 12 which normally will be a threaded shaft, a pressure applying sleeve 14 telescoped over and concentric with the shaft 12 and a deformable plate 16 having a central passage 18 through which the shaft 12 passes (see FIG. 2). The plate 16 is positioned on the shaft 12 between an expanded head 20 on the end of the shaft 12 remote from the sleeve 14 and the sleeve 14.

A pressure applicator 22 which when the shaft 12 is threaded as in the preferred embodiment is in the form of a nut thread on the treads of the shaft 12 and which is turned to move the sleeve along the shaft and press the plate 16 toward the head 20 thereby distorting the plate and causing it to expand to its expanded position as shown in dash lines at 24 in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In its initial condition (before distortion into the expanded position shown in dash lines at 24) the plate 16 is substantially V-shaped with the apex 26 of the V-shape which acts as a hinge preferably positioned adjacent to the sleeve 14, as shown, but it may be inverted if desired.

The plate 16 has a major axis (longitudinal axis) as indicated at 28 and a mutually perpendicular minor axis 30, the major axis 28 in effect depicts the longer length of the plate 16 after deformation of the plate 16 into its expanded condition as indicated by the dash lines at 24 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The apex 26 extends parallel to the minor axis 30 and is centrally positioned mid way between the axial ends 32 and 34 of the plate 16.

Turning to FIG. 3 the preferred form of cutter 100 used to produce the undercut 42 in the bore hole 40 in which the anchor 10 is to be mounted (see FIGS. 4, 5 and 6) is formed by a shaft 102 having a plurality of equally spaced cutter disks 104 mounted concentrically thereon and projecting radially there from. The peripheries of the cutting disks 104 will preferably be formed with abrasive or cutting teeth suitable to cut the substrate 48 in which the undercut 42 is to be formed. Preferably the cutter disks will have a thickness t_(d) (measured axially of the shaft 102) of less than 5/32 inches and preferably between ⅛ and 3/16 inches and the spacing between adjacent disks 104 as indicated 106 will have a thickness t_(s) (measured axially of the shaft 102) of more than ⅛ inches and preferably between ⅛ and ¼ inches.

As shown in FIG. 4 the anchor 10 is moved as indicated by the arrow 46 into a bore hole 40 formed in the substrate 48 (generally concrete) to which it is to be connected with the plate 16 in its V-shaped configuration with little distorting pressure applied by the sleeve 14 against the plate 16 and head 20. After the anchor has been positioned in the bore hole 40 with the plate 16 at the level of the undercut 42 the nut 22 is moved along the shaft 12 to force the sleeve against the plate 16 and generate a distorting pressure against the plate 16 between the sleeve 14 and the head 20 and thereby distort (expand) the plate 16 into its expanded condition as indicated at 24 and wherein the extended ends 50 and 52 are positioned in the undercut 42 (see FIG. 5). In the inverted application shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 the ends 50 and 52 of the plate 16 are automatically (by gravity) positioned against the wall 54 of the undercut 42 adjacent to but spaced from the open end 56 of the bore hole 40. N the upright position other means are used to hold the plate edges 50 and 52 to the wall 54 adjacent to the open end 56. Preferably the wall 58 of the undercut opposite the wall 54 will be spaced from the closed end 60 of the bore hole 40 to accommodate the head 20 of the shaft 12.

After the anchor 10 has been positioned as described it is preferred to fill the bore hole 40 including the undercut 42 with a suitable resin as indicated at 62 (see FIG. 6) for example an epoxy resin to that the resin may set in situ to completely fill the hole 40 and surround the anchor 10 and more securely locking it in position. Thus is a relatively simple matter when the bore hole 40 extends down i.e. when the hole is in an upright as opposed to an inverted position but when the bore hole 40 extends upwardly (inverted position shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6) it maybe more complicated. As shown in FIG. 6 when filling the inverted bore hole 40 with resin a suitable cap 70 is used to close the open end 56 of the bore hole 40 and through which the resin is injected. The cap 70 is provided with an inlet 72 through which resin is forced into the hole 40 as indicated at 74 and preferably with an outlet 76 for venting air from the bore hole 40 and through which air is forced out as indicated by the arrow 78. An air venting pipe 80 extends from adjacent to the closed end 60 and connects to the outlet 76 so that air adjacent to the closed end 60 is expelled as the bore hole 40 is filled i.e. air passes from adjacent to the closed end 60 and out past the plate 16 through the outlet 76.

The cap 70 may be held in position via a suitable nut 82 threaded to the shaft 12 and the height of the anchor 10 in a non-inverted (upright) bore hole 40 may be adjusted by changing the axial spacing between the plate 16 and the cap 70 using the nut 82.

Thus in practicing the method of the present invention bore hole 40 is first made and then an undercut 42 is produced in the hole 40 preferably using the tool 100. The anchor 10 is positioned in the bore hole 40 with the plate 16 at the required level relative to the undercut 42 and the plate 16 distorted by applying pressure to the sleeve 14 to squeeze the plate 16 between the sleeve 14 and the head 20 and thereby change the configuration of the plate 16 from the initial V-shape to a substantially plainer final shape with the ends 50 and 52 of the plate 16 received in the undercut 42. The cover 70 is then applied and if the application is to an inverted bore hole 40 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 the pipe 80 is used and is positioned as above described and the nut 82 tightened to position the cover 70 closing the open end 56 and then resin 62 injected as indicated by the arrow 74 and air ejected as indicated by the arrow 78 thereby to fill the bore hole 40 and surround the anchor 10 with resin that then sets in situ.

In some cases if the space between the undercut 42 and the closed end 60 is sufficient the venting of air may not be required and the trapped air simply compressed provided sufficient resin can be injected to substantially fill the bore hole 40 to about the level of the wall 58

If the bore hole is in upright position it will be apparent that the tube 80 may be omitted and in many cases the venting outlet for air may be provided by an imperfect seal of the cover 70 to the substrate in which the anchor 10 is being used

Having described the invention, modifications will be evident to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 

I claim:
 1. An anchor system comprising an anchor having a shaft, a head adjacent to one end of said shaft and extending laterally of said shaft, a sleeve surrounding said shaft and extending axially thereof, a rectangular plate having a major and a minor axis, said plate having a substantially V-shape the apex of which is substantially parallel to said minor axis, said plate having a central hole through which said shaft passes and being positioned on said shaft between said head and said sleeve so that movement of said sleeve along said shaft towards said head deforms said V-shape into a substantially plainer configuration with the ends of said plate on said major axis extending laterally beyond said head and means for a moving said sleeve axially of said shaft.
 2. An anchor system as defined in claim 1 wherein said apex is adjacent to said sleeve.
 3. An anchor system as defined in claim 2 further comprising a bore hole having an open end and a closed end remote from said open end, an undercut section formed in said bore hole spaced from said open end, said anchor being positioned within said bore hole and said ends of said plate with said plate deformed into said substantially plainer configuration being received in said undercut section.
 4. An anchor system as defined in claim 3 further comprising a cover closing said open end, said cover including an inlet for passage of a resin into said bore hole and an outlet for venting gases from said bore hole.
 5. An anchor system as defined in claim 4 further comprising a venting tube extending from adjacent to said closed end to said outlet for venting gases from said bore hole to vent gases from adjacent to said closed end from said bore hole.
 6. An anchor system as defined in claim 3 further comprising a resin substantially filling said bore hole around said anchor and including said undercut section.
 7. An anchor system as defined in claim 4 further comprising a resin substantially filling said bore hole around said anchor and including said undercut section.
 8. An anchor system as defined in claim 5 further comprising a resin substantially filling said bore hole around said anchor and including said undercut section.
 9. A method of installing and anchor using a resin to improve the connection of the anchor to the substrate in which it is mounted comprising cutting an undercut in a bore hole between an open end and a closed end of said bore hole, mounting an anchor in the bore hole by deforming a plate into the undercut, said plate occupying a minor amount of space in said undercut and being smaller than said bore hole to permit access for resin injected from said open end to pass said plate and enter into said undercut from the side of said plate adjacent to said open end and fill said undercut and thereby surround said anchor with said resin.
 10. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein said bore hole is inverted so that said closed end of said bore hole is at an elevation higher than the elevation of said open end and said open end is closed by a cap and resin is injected through said cap and a passage is provided from said cap to said closed end, said passage venting of air from said bore hole as said resin is injected. 